UFC Corridor of Famer Randy Couture counseled Francis Ngannou for his struggle with the UFC.
Earlier this month, Ngannou was stripped of the UFC heavyweight title and have become a free agent after failed negotiations with the corporate. In keeping with Ngannou, he requested for the suitable of sponsorships, medical health insurance, and an advocate that represented fighters at board conferences. He mentioned the UFC was unwilling to just accept his requests.
Like Ngannou, Couture isn’t any stranger to negotiating with the UFC. Throughout his run as heavyweight champion, he had a rocky relationship with the corporate. In an try to depart the promotion, Couture took the UFC to court docket from 2006 to 2007 to be let go from his contract. He ended up settling the dispute and later returning to the UFC.
Randy Couture and the UFC Have a Robust Historical past
Throughout an interview with MMA Preventing, Couture spoke about his previous struggles coping with his UFC and their negotiations.
“The historical past is there,” Couture mentioned. “When [Zuffa] purchased the corporate, I took them to job over their ancillary rights and the crappy contract they have been attempting to power me to signal as their heavyweight champion. We requested and put some extra clauses in there. The upside to that’s I received a significantly better deal shifting ahead. The draw back is that they closed a bunch of the loopholes in these crappy contracts and made it harder for different fighters shifting ahead.” (h/t MMA Preventing)
The 59-year-old additionally shared his ideas on Ngannou’s contract dispute and his struggle for improved fighter advantages. He additionally admitted that he hasn’t spoken with Ngannou straight.
“The cash they threw at Francis was fairly important and possibly as a lot as anyone’s gotten paid in our sport nevertheless it was the opposite issues — medical health insurance, a fighter’s consultant, a few of these issues that he requested for that have been outdoors of that, that brought about them to drop him,” Couture mentioned. “They don’t need to surrender that energy.
“They don’t need to surrender these issues. They need to have the ability to management the fighters the best way they need to management them. They don’t like that transparency. They hold these numbers fairly near their vest in order that they don’t have to barter with fighters who know what their worth is available in the market place, that’s how that shakes out.” (h/t MMA Preventing)
Couture hopes to see extra high fighters, like Ngannou, change into the voice of change in blended martial arts.
“Francis might be the closest to a high tier, marquee fighter that was actually holding the belt within the heavyweight division and put that on the road to make an announcement. I’m happy with him for what he’s performed. Hopefully, extra fighters step up.” (h/t MMA Preventing)
